Friends of man found dead in ditch protest lack of answers

JACKSONVILLE, Onslow County - Days after the Onslow County Sheriff's Office said it was closing the death investigation of Clifton "Tre" McFadden without recommending any charges, friends of McFadden's gathered in protest.

Several of McFadden's friends held signs and protested peacefully Monday morning outside the OCSO office in Jacksonville, chanting at times "find the truth." They say they aren't satisfied with the police conclusion that McFadden leaped out of a car traveling between 50 and 60 mph on his own.M

McFadden's mother, Monica Jones, who is also fighting the results, spoke at the rally on Monday.

"I would like to see some forensics done on exactly how someone could hit their head on the pavement in the passenger seat of a car and end up straight way in a ditch where all of his body was covered by vegetation," she said. "I'd like answers to these types of questions."

Though there were three other individuals in the vehicle with McFadden at the time he is said to have jumped out, OCSO has found no reason to bring charged against them, even though they did not report the incident to police.

"At this point, we have no evidence to conclude that there was criminal culpability from the other individuals that were in the vehicle," OCSO Sheriff Hans Miller tells NewsChannel 12.

Miller did clarify that the investigation is not technically closed, but in an inactive status. He said the department would follow leads in the case if new evidence emerges.

McFadden's family is working toward that end, having set up a tip line at (252) 643-0998 that individuals with information about the case can call.